Click on photo or link to read the feature • Seasonal Secret:Let's hike through the heirloom cherry blossom preserve! The best kept cherry blossom secret in Tokyo is a fabulous preserve where seventy-two types of heirloom cherry trees grow wild. Unlike the crowded beauty spots in the city, you can walk for miles without encounteringContinue reading "MAR 2024"
She’s So Cosmo Cocktail/Mocktail
Red Shiso Cosmopolitan Cocktail, with or without a kick! Whether you're flinging caution to the wind or keeping dry, give your favorite classic cocktail a distinctly Japanese kick with the taste of tart and tangy red shiso instead of cranberry! She's So Cosmo Cocktail Makes 1 drink 1 shot vodka 1 shot Grand Marnier 1Continue reading "She’s So Cosmo Cocktail/Mocktail"
Let’s hike through the heirloom cherry tree preserve!
The Tama Forest Science Garden is the best kept cherry blossom secret in Tokyo—it's a fabulous preserve where seventy-two types of heirloom cherry trees grow wild. And unlike the crowded beauty spots in the city, you can walk for miles without encountering another soul! This horticulture park was established to preserve and research ancient varietalsContinue reading "Let’s hike through the heirloom cherry tree preserve!"
How to plan the best Japan trip EVER
Japan is the hottest travel ticket in the world right now. Here are my personal Japan travel tips & tricks, the places I take my friends when they come to town, and the inside scoop on what once-a-year festivals and events might be happening while you're there! If you know someone who's planning a JapanContinue reading "How to plan the best Japan trip EVER"
Did you win the Jan-Feb Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Make It Japanese! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I'll need an email address if you'd like the e-book or a mailing address if you'd like the hardcover). If I didn't pull yourContinue reading "Did you win the Jan-Feb Book Giveaway?"
JAN-FEB 2024
Click on photo or link to read the feature • The Thing I Learned Today:All about Nihonga: A master reveals the secrets behind Japan's ancient form of painting If there's an incredibly difficult way of making something and it takes a lifetime to master, you can be sure Japan has perfected it. That is especiallyContinue reading "JAN-FEB 2024"
Did you win the Nov-Dec Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Last Yakuza! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I'll need an email address if you'd like the e-book or a mailing address if you'd like the paperback). If I didn't pull yourContinue reading "Did you win the Nov-Dec Book Giveaway?"
What the heckin’ heck is THIS?
First, let's answer last month's question and find out what the heckin' heck was THAT? Answer: A mold for making penguin rice balls with a special punch to make the features from nori dried seaweed sheets The latest lunch cuteness for the bento arms race! • So now let's ponder...what the heckin' heck is THIS?Continue reading "What the heckin’ heck is THIS?"
Bite-Sized Mont Blancs
These may not strike you as a typical Japanese dessert, but if you've been to Japan, you know that not a single bakery fails to have their own version of this cold weather classic. The combination of a buttery, crunchy base with fluffy whipped cream and sweet—but not too sweet—chestnut puree makes this an enduringContinue reading "Bite-Sized Mont Blancs"
Make It Japanese: Simple Recipes for Everyone
By Rie McClenny & Sanae Lemoine Authenticity of recipes: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEase of instructions: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Recipe appeal : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: An excellent Japanese cookbook for people living outside Japan, especially if you're a novice at Japanese cooking. We all want to eat healthy and delicious food—especially after the holidays—and deciding to eat more Japanese cuisine isContinue reading "Make It Japanese: Simple Recipes for Everyone"
Zao Onsen in winter: Hot springs, snow monsters and more!
Zao Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture Zao Onsen is a perfect example of what makes Japan so extra—there are plenty of places in the world you can ski through a forest of snowy trees... but where else can you do it chased by snow monsters... and stay at an inn that's been in business for fourContinue reading "Zao Onsen in winter: Hot springs, snow monsters and more!"
Flavors I do not want to try
Nevermind the challenging everyday aspects of Japanese cuisine—try these squid guts and cod testicles!—it's the western-style foods in all-the-no flavors that I want to run away from, screaming... Category 1: Things that should not be vegetable flavored Pancakes should never be a vehicle for spinach • Tomatoes and carrots should not be allowed anywhere nearContinue reading "Flavors I do not want to try"
All about nihonga: A master reveals the secrets behind Japan’s ancient form of painting
Ancient painting technique, new energy: Allan West never stops showing the world what nihonga can be If there's an incredibly difficult way of making something and it takes a lifetime to master, you can be sure Japan has perfected it. That is especially true of nihonga, the vanishing art of painting with pigments ground fromContinue reading "All about nihonga: A master reveals the secrets behind Japan’s ancient form of painting"
NOV-DEC 2023
Click on photo or link to read the feature • Why, Japan, Why?Santa gets a Japanese makeover It's no secret that Japan is known for coming up with some, er, interesting interpretations of Xmas traditions, but none are more amusing than their seasonal takes on old Saint Nick himself...read more • The Thing I LearnedContinue reading "NOV-DEC 2023"
The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Tokyo Underworld
By Jake Adelstein Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: No one is more qualified than the first foreign reporter to work the crime beat at a major Japanese newspaper when it comes to giving us a peek into the shady underworld of the legendary Japanese gangsContinue reading "The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Tokyo Underworld"
The kamikaze didn’t just fly planes
Kamikaze. It means "divine wind", and was originally used to describe the typhoon that sent the 4,000-ship fleet of would-be Japan invader Kublai Khan to Davy Jones' locker in the year 1281. Seven centuries later, Japan's WWII military leadership gave kamikaze a darker meaning: the Japanese suicide bombers who steered their tiger-toothed craft all theContinue reading "The kamikaze didn’t just fly planes"
The hidden secrets of Miyajima Island
Itsukushima (Miyajima Island) in Hiroshima Prefecture Most people think of visiting Miyajima as that short ferry ride from Hiroshima to snap obligatory pix of the floating World Heritage torii gate, but staying on the island delivers some serious delights that daytrippers never get to see. For starters...the famous gate lit up at night! The ItsukushimaContinue reading "The hidden secrets of Miyajima Island"
The jolly old elf gets a Japanese makeover
It's no secret that Japan is known for coming up with some, er, interesting interpretations of Xmas traditions, but none are more amusing than their seasonal takes on St. Nicholas himself. Without any religious or cultural tradition behind it, Christmas in Japan is a huge romantic/date holiday (second only to Valentine's Day), but they haven'tContinue reading "The jolly old elf gets a Japanese makeover"
What the heckin’ heck is THIS?
First, let's answer last month's question and find out what the heckin' heck was THAT? Answer: An extendable stylus for women whose fingernails are so long they can't type on their phones Here in Japan, the struggle is real! • So now let's ponder...what the heckin' heck is THIS? Post your best guess in theContinue reading "What the heckin’ heck is THIS?"
Did you win the Sep-Oct Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Japanese Ghost Stories! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I'll need an email address if you'd like the e-book or a mailing address if you'd like the paperback). If I didn't pull yourContinue reading "Did you win the Sep-Oct Book Giveaway?"
SEP-OCT 2023
Click on photo or link to read the feature • Seasonal Secret:Halloween costumes I would regret I love Halloween in Japan, because the costumes are so hilariously and bafflingly unlike something ANYONE would wear to a party where I come from. Let's plunge into the most baffling of the baffling and the most inexplicable ofContinue reading "SEP-OCT 2023"
Did you win the Jul-Aug Japan Swag Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a set of five limited edition drunken cat capsule toys! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I'll need a mailing address). If I didn't pull your name from the hat this time, you might get luckyContinue reading "Did you win the Jul-Aug Japan Swag Giveaway?"
What the heckin’ heck is THIS?
First, let's answer last month's question and find out what the heckin' heck was THAT? Props to all of you who guessed it was some sort of dryer or heater... Answer: A futon dryer I can't explain it better than twell-informed and exceedingly articulate Japanagram reader Maria: "This lovely invention I believe is what weContinue reading "What the heckin’ heck is THIS?"
Let’s go to the Japanese garden…from Hell
Unzen in Nagasaki Prefecture Abandon hope, all ye who enter here! You're about to enter a Japanese garden that's like no other on earth. On the very-much-not-dormant volcanic flanks of Mt. Unzen on the southernmost Japanese island of Kyushu lies Unzen Hell (Unzen Jigoku), the volcanic wonderland at the heart of Unzen-Amakusa National Park. AContinue reading "Let’s go to the Japanese garden…from Hell"
Japanese Ghost Stories: Spirits, Hauntings and Paranormal Phenomena
By Catrien Ross Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Even if you're not interested in the paranormal, these folk tales, anecdotes and accounts of supernatural phenomena provide fascinating insights into what scares people in Japan. There are plenty of books about all the scary (and sometimeContinue reading "Japanese Ghost Stories: Spirits, Hauntings and Paranormal Phenomena"
Halloween costumes I would regret
I love Halloween in Japan, because the costumes are so hilariously and bafflingly unlike something ANYONE would wear to a party where I come from! Let's plunge right into the most baffling of the baffling and the most inexplicable of the inexplicable... What the heckin' heck? To be fair, even Japanese people can't explain thisContinue reading "Halloween costumes I would regret"
You’re heard of “Paris Syndrome” but what about “Tokyo Syndrome”?
You aren't the only one shaking your head at the recent news blurbs about the number of tourists shocked into the emergency rooms of France every year because their expectations about the glories of Paris were so out of step with the reality. But why are so many of the victims Japanese? If you've beenContinue reading "You’re heard of “Paris Syndrome” but what about “Tokyo Syndrome”?"
Sweet & Savory Miso Beef in Lettuce Wraps
I first tasted this fabulous and unusual way of cooking beef at one of my favorite traditional inns, and it continues to be one of the most delicious Japanese main dishes I've ever tasted. It leaves you satisfied without feeling stuffed—because of the miso, a little goes a long way, and it's a great wayContinue reading "Sweet & Savory Miso Beef in Lettuce Wraps"
JUL-AUG 2023
Click on photo or link to read the feature • Seasonal Secret:Splashparks: Tokyo's secret summer delight You don't have to be a kid to fling socks and shoes to the wind and dip your hot, tired feet in these inviting summertime streams, pools and fountains. Best of all, these are all in public parks, soContinue reading "JUL-AUG 2023"
What the heckin’ heck is THIS?
First, let's answer last month's question and find out what the heckin' heck was THAT? Answer: A miso muddler And what does a miso muddler do? Well, first, it measures something that's a huge pain to measure. Miso is the peanut butter of Japanese ingredients (i.e. you're doomed to getting it all over your fingersContinue reading "What the heckin’ heck is THIS?"
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